Apple has captured mindshare in the tablet market with its iPad, but when it comes to actual usage, in the U.S. it is actually neck-and-neck with its chief rival, Android, according to a new study out�(direct link here) from the Online Publishers Association. The group found that while iPad ownership outweighed that of Android tablets in 2011 — 72 percent to 32 percent — this year those shares have evened out, at 52 percent vs. 51 percent, with a large part of that Android boost coming from the Kindle Fire.The other striking detail in the study is that U.S. tablet usage is growing fast. Currently tablet owners use their devices for 13.9 hours per week on average, with 74 percent[...]

As if on cue, the rampant speculation about Microsoft’s mysterious LA event today reached new heights over the weekend. Initially believed to be a tablet related announcement, more recent reports�indicated that it could be the debut of a new device developed together with Barnes & Noble.But the bookseller threw cold water on those rumors this morning, as spokespeople confirmed with several sites that Barnes & Noble isn’t involved in today’s event. It’s unlikely that B&N is lying — if the company wanted to keep its involvement secret, it wouldn’t be offering any definitive statements to the press.Many pointed to Microsoft’s massive $300[...]

955 Dreams has won a lot of acclaim for its slick apps, including Band of the Day, which was Apple’s App of the Year runner up�. Now the company is letting other publishers make use of its smarts by releasing a publishing platform as well as its own ad engine, so publishers can create magazine-style apps complete with, full-page glossy interstitial ads.955 Dreams’ goal is to allow content owners to create polished publishing experiences, in hopes of helping them stay relevant in this age of mobile apps. A number of content publishers have already approached 955 Dreams about using its platforms to power their apps. But the company believes that it needs to provide one seamless pr[...]